MILWAUKEE, July 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson Controls, a global multi-industrial company, has appointed Michael Bartschat as the company's first chief procurement officer and a corporate officer. Bartschat will report to R. Bruce McDonald, executive vice president and chief financial officer.

In his role as chief procurement officer, Bartschat will lead an integrated enterprise global procurement function that will leverage scale and optimize the cost and value of purchased materials, products and services. This newly created role will drive standardization of best practices and world class processes, delivering savings to the business and increased value to shareholders. The chief procurement officer role will support the company's ongoing transformation to a true multi-industrial through operational and manufacturing excellence across its business units.

"While procurement has always been a focus at our business-unit level, under Mike's leadership we are committing ourselves to building a world-class global procurement function to leverage our combined reach and spend," said McDonald. "This new role brings key strategic capabilities including global sourcing and procurement operations and will enable the introduction of common systems and processes across the organization."

Bartschat joined Johnson Controls in 2004 and most recently served as group vice president and general manager of product group metals and mechanisms, Automotive Seating at Johnson Controls. Previously, he led the transformation of the global purchasing organization for Automotive Seating, Interiors and Electronics. Bartschat also led the expansion and integration of the automotive fabrics business.

Bartschat received an MBA from Harvard Business School. He has a master's degree in mechanical engineering from MIT and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Carnegie-Mellon University.

About Johnson Controls:Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. Our 170,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and interior systems for automobiles. Our commitment to sustainability dates back to our roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. Through our growth strategies and by increasing market share we are committed to delivering value to shareholders and making our customers successful. In 2014, Corporate Responsibility Magazine recognized Johnson Controls as the #12 company in its annual "100 Best Corporate Citizens" list. For additional information, please visit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com or follow @johnsoncontrols on Twitter.